Evangelical Christian distance-learning institution offering biblically-based degrees in theology, archaeology, and biblical studies.
Trinity Southwest University offers flexible, modular coursework designed for adult learners. Degree programs include Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy across nine colleges: Archaeology & Biblical History, Biblical Counseling, Biblical Languages, Biblical Studies, Documentary Media, Professional & Creative Writing, Sacred Arts, Biblical & Theological Studies, and University Studies. The institution emphasizes self-directed study with advisor guidance, allowing students to tailor learning experiences to individual needs, talents, and goals. Most students enroll in distance education programs.
The university occupies multiple locations in Albuquerque near the Sandia Mountains foothills. Facilities include classrooms, an administrative center for on-campus and distance education, faculty offices, the TSU Research Library, and the TSU Archaeology Research Center (ARC). The institution also operates an Archaeology Museum featuring artifacts from excavations. As of 2021, the main location was described as a strip mall in Albuquerque.
Admissions follows a two-stage process: optional Pre-Application Review (allowing portfolio submission of prior education, work experience, and credentials) and formal Application with transcripts and documentation. Tuition is charged by semester credit hour (SCH); the institution states it works to keep costs affordable and may offer grants to qualifying students. Students are ineligible for federal financial aid due to the institution's rejection of governmental oversight.
Trinity Southwest University is not accredited by any accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The institution operates under a New Mexico religious exemption and is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International. It maintains that governmental association or oversight is inappropriate for faith-based institutions and constitutes a violation of church–state separation.
Since 2005, Executive Dean Steven Collins has directed excavations at Tall el-Hammam in Jordan, a Bronze Age settlement he argues was the biblical city of Sodom. The project is a joint scientific endeavor with Jordan's Department of Antiquities. Collins has authored several books on the topic, though his identification remains controversial among mainstream biblical archaeologists. A 2021 paper claiming meteor destruction was retracted in April 2025 due to errors in methodology and image manipulation.